# The Third Letter Of Ydse Gaukes, Written In Prison In Deventer.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THE THIRD LETTER OF YDSE GAUKES, WRITTEN IN PRISON IN DEVENTER.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

The grace of God our heavenly Father, who created
and made heaven and earth; and the love of
his beloved Son, our Lord, Redeemer and Savior,
which is Jesus Christ, by whom he has delivered us
from eternal enmity and the torment of hell; and
the power of the Holy Ghost, who works in all his
elect; this we wish all our known, and also our unknown,
brethren and sisters, and all lovers of the
truth, as a most cordial and affectionate salutation.
Amen.

Further, my very elect brethren and sisters, fellow-believers
of our most holy faith, by the grace
and mercy of God, branches on the vine of the
Lord; we prisoners, confined for the testimony of
the truth, intend to write you yet a little, by which
you may remember us; if the Lord permits it that
you may get this little out of the lions’ den; for we
think and trust that our Lord will soon deliver us,
and that we shall have no time any more to write to
you. If we did not have my sister, we would fare
very meagerly and suffer hunger; but now we have
a sufficiency; may the Lord reward it, and recompense
it a hundredfold to them that show us mercy.

Now, my dear and much beloved brethren and
sisters by the obedience of the Gospel, know that according
to the flesh we are still tolerably well, and in
the faith unchanged, and are sure that it is the right
truth, and that no other will ever be found neither
now nor in eternity, for we are sure, and find the
Lord faithful in all his promises; as he says, that he
will not forsake his own, but keep them as the apple
of his eye; and that he will not suffer them to be
tempted above that they are able, but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape; wherein we
also firmly trust. Hence, my dear chosen brethren
and sisters, beseech the Lord heartily for us, that
he will give us power and strength when the hour
of suffering is at hand; for our persecutors greatly
threaten us, that they will torture us in this and that
manner, and roast us alive with a large fire placed
at a distance from us.

Therefore, my dear brethren and sisters in the
Lord, help to pray the Lord for us, since of ourselves
we have nothing but all weakness, and are
compassed about with frail flesh. But we find abundant
comfort when we consider the word of the
Lord, and his promises to those who strive valiantly
unto death, and cleave to them; for he that remains
steadfast shall receive the promises, since he never
yet has forsaken any that trusted in him, and who
think of the fight which our captain Christ Jesus
fought for us, so that they willingly follow him.
Hence, we joyfully wait for our redemption, though
they threaten us much, they can do us no more
than what the Lord permits them; and whatsoever
the Lord permits them, to that we will resign ourselves,
for our flesh, with which we have offended
the Lord so often, has merited it more than a thousand
times. Furthermore, my dear brethren and
sisters, we expect from day to day to be offered up,
for we thought we should offer up our sacrifice
when our fellow prisoners offered up theirs. Now,
my much beloved brethren and sisters, you that
have submitted to the obedience of the Gospel, and
have with Noah entered into the ark, and are with
Lot gone out of Sodom, and with Moses out of
Egypt, through the Red Sea, and choose rather to
suffer affliction with the children of God, than to
enjoy, with Pharaoh, the pleasures of sin for a season;
therefore now, my dear friends, be valiant with
righteous Noah, who firmly trusted in the Lord’s
promises, and with patience waited for the day
promised him by the Lord, namely, an hundred and
twenty years. See, my dear brethren and sisters,
who are still in this tabernacle, and have with Noah
received a promise, that there shall come a day that
will be upon all flesh; if you are then found upright
before the Lord, you shall with Noah be forever
saved. And obey the Lord with Lot, and firmly
believe what God commands you, for he wants his
commandments kept, as we have an example in
850
Lot’s wife, that she was turned into a pillar of salt;
and further in Israel; when they observed his laws
and commandments, no one was able to harm or
hinder them; as we have an example in the children
of Israel, to whom the promised land was promised;
but they did not obtain it, because they did not trust
in the Lord; for of six hundred thousand not more
than two entered into the promised land; but their
descendants were led through Jordan by Joshua,
and the Lord mightily helped them, so that they
according to the Lord’s command went around Jericho
with the ark of the covenant, and the walls fell.

See, my dear, beloved brethren and sisters, if we
trust in the word of the Lord, and keep his commandments,
and always walk according to the
Lord’s rule, and call upon the Lord day and night,
he will fight for us. Yea, our enemies shall not be
able to harm us, but they shall be confounded. But
if the righteous forsake the Lord, they must turn
their backs before their enemies, as we read in
Joshua, concerning Achan and others, also of Saul,
who was the first king of Israel; when the Lord had
commanded him, to go forth to fight against the
Amalekites, and to spare no one, he went, but did
not keep the Lord’s command; hence the Spirit of
the Lord departed from him, and the Lord set
David in his stead; on which account he persecuted
David. And thus the righteous have ever had to
suffer from the unrighteous: Jacob, from Esau; Abel,
from Cain, because his offering was acceptable before
the Lord, and his brother’s not; hence he was
killed by Cain; and this generation is still in the
world.

See, my much beloved and chosen brethren and
sisters, to whom the truth, which is hid from so
many thousands is revealed, and who have received
grace from God; let us show obedience to the Lord,
as did our father Abraham, who is the father of the
faithful; and Jephthah, who did not spare his only
daughter, but willingly offered her up to the Lord.
Judges 11:39. Hence, my dear brethren and sisters,
let us diligently fear the Lord, and observe his commandments,
and he will be gracious unto us. Therefore,
my very dear and beloved brethren and sisters,
only be faithful unto the end, and neither be terrified,
nor fear; though this generation has now great
power to crush and kill the people of God, they can
do no more than the Lord permits them. Hence let
us keep good watch for our souls, and always be
vigilant; for the Lord says himself: Watch and pray;
for the Lord shall come as a thief in the night. O,
my dear brethren and sisters, that we might then
not be found idle or drowsy, but with the five wise
virgins always have oil in our lamps, and ever be
ready and watch for the coming of our bridegroom,
so that with Gideon we may be found worthy; for
they were not all accepted; only three hundred were
found worthy. Judges 6:12. Even as also Christ
himself says, that many are called, but few chosen.
Matt. 20:16; 22:14.

Hence, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord,
let us diligently pray to God with a fervent heart,
that we may be known and reckoned with the little
flock, and that we may be stones in the Lord’s temple,
and branches on the Lord’s vine, and valiantly
follow our Lord and Bishop even unto the end; and
it shall be well with us; and walk in all righteousness
and holiness, and always be mindful of the day
of the Lord, and not depart from the Lord’s way;
and he will have compassion upon us and be gracious
unto us. For he shall separate the sheep from
the goats, and say to them on his right hand:
Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you. And to them on his left hand: Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Matt. 25:32.
O how lamentable will it then be with those who
here have feared men more than the Lord; yea,
who now say: The Lord is gracious and merciful,
which is true; but he is also righteous, and wants
his commandments kept. Hence, O dear people,
think of the day of which Peter says: “That one
day is with the Lord as a thousand years.” 2 Peter
3:8. How lamentably it will then be deplored! See,
my dear brethren and sisters, my materials are about
to give out; hence I must conclude. We prisoners
will therefore herewith bid you adieu, namely we
four; our names you well know; let this reach
Jan de P., our sister Lijntgen’s brother. We prisoners
cordially salute you with the word of the
Lord, and are still of good cheer, and trust to offer
up a willing sacrifice to the Lord; the Lord God
strengthen us with his Holy Spirit. And, dear
brothers Bauke, Symon, and Pieter, who are my
brothers according to the flesh, take care for your
souls; though you are young yet, do not depend
on that; you know neither the day nor the hour,
and enough is revealed to you, that you well know
that it is the truth. Herewith I will send you my
last adieu, as I do not think that I will see you anymore;
but see that we may meet one another again
with joy.

Now, my dear brother Bauke and your wife, your
mother and sister, and I your brother, salute you
and all acquaintances most cordially; I send you
our last salutation here, and may the Lord make us
worthy, that hereafter we may meet one another
again with joy. Claes greets you very cordially, and
we also greet much all those that have remembered
us by writing, and we are much rejoiced in this,
that you still have such delight in the truth. Herewith
we bid our dear brethren and fellow-believers
of our faith our last adieu; may the Lord keep you
all in righteousness and holiness.

Written in our dark prison, with bad materials;
hence receive it in good part. Given the ninety-fifth
day of our imprisonment, the 14th of June, in the
year 1571, in Deventer.





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